Women's Premier League 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Aim to Bounce Back Against Fatigued Delhi Capitals

Bengaluru, February 28, 2025 – Struggling to regain their early momentum, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be eager to deliver a much-awaited victory to their home supporters as they face a fatigued Delhi Capitals (DC) at Bengaluru's iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium this Saturday. This clash marks the final fixture before the Women's Premier League (WPL) shifts its base to Lucknow for the third leg of the tournament.

A Tale of Two Contrasting Halves for RCB​

RCB commenced their WPL season on a high, registering two consecutive victories in Vadodara. However, since returning to their home ground, their fortunes have drastically changed. A streak of three losses—including a heartbreaking defeat against UP Warriorz in a thrilling Super Over—has left the side reeling and currently placed third on the points table, still winless in Bengaluru.

Captain Smriti Mandhana's form remains one of the biggest concerns for the franchise. Apart from her lone impressive innings of 81 against the Capitals, Mandhana has struggled to handle spin bowling throughout the tournament. Her inconsistency has significantly impacted RCB's overall batting performance.

Adding to their batting woes, Mandhana's opening partner, England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge, has also blown hot and cold. Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who had been in exceptional touch, suffered a rare failure against Gujarat Giants, registering her first-ever WPL duck, adding further pressure on the struggling team.

RCB's bowling department hasn't fared any better. Pacers Renuka Singh and Kim Garth have struggled with accuracy and consistency, while the spin trio of Georgia Wareham, Ekta Bisht, and Kanika Ahuja have failed to apply pressure during the critical middle overs, leaving the team vulnerable in crunch situations.

Delhi Capitals Face Stiff Test Amid Packed Schedule​

Despite their own patchy campaign—three wins interspersed with two defeats—Delhi Capitals enter the contest as dangerous opponents. The Meg Lanning-led side faces a significant challenge of recovery, given their demanding schedule: Capitals will be taking on league leaders Mumbai Indians in a top-of-the-table clash on Friday, leaving them with minimal rest ahead of Saturday’s encounter with RCB.

On a brighter note for DC, opener Shafali Verma and Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen have rediscovered form at a critical juncture. However, skipper Meg Lanning continues to struggle at the top, and inconsistency from the middle order, including promising players Jemimah Rodrigues and Annabel Sutherland, remains an issue.

The Capitals' greatest strength lies in their bowling attack. Veteran pacer Shikha Pandey, South Africa's experienced all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, young talent Titas Sadhu, alongside Annabel Sutherland and Minnu Mani, form a potent lineup capable of testing RCB's fragile batting unit.

Probable Squads​

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (c), Kanika Ahuja, Ekta Bisht, Charlie Dean, Kim Garth, Richa Ghosh (wk), Heather Graham, VJ Joshitha, Sabbhineni Meghana, Nuzhat Parween, Jagravi Pawar, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Sneh Rana, Prema Rawat, Renuka Singh, Georgia Wareham, Danni Wyatt-Hodge.

Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Sneha Deepthi, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland, Arundhati Reddy, Jess Jonassen, Marizanne Kapp, Minnu Mani, N Charani, Niki Prasad, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Nandini Kashyap (wk), Taniyaa Bhatia (wk), Sarah Bryce (wk), Titas Sadhu.

Match Details​

• Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
• Date & Time: Saturday, March 1, 2025, 7:30 PM IST

This fixture represents RCB's final opportunity to give their loyal home fans a reason to celebrate before the tournament caravan moves to Lucknow, intensifying the stakes for both teams as the WPL enters its crucial phase.